PERSIA.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 254, 20 July 1908, Page 7

PERSIA.

FIGHTING AND LOOTING IN TABRIZ. OPPRESSOR' RETIRES. CONSTITUTIONALISTS' APPEAL TO BRITAIN. ( (bt TELEGRArn—rnrsa association— copxnianT.) Teheran, July 17. Sata Khan, loader of tho Constitutionalists, is energetically defending two quarters l of Tabriz (the roost important city of North- l Wost Persia) against Rakliim Khan's I soldiery, who hold tho rest of the city. . Sata Khan appeals to 'Great Britain, oil ( the ground that she, having been instrumen- I .tal in obtaining a constitution for Persia, i ought .to assist in maintaining it. • i PRIESTS' INFLUENCE. J THE INFANTRY PREFER CIVILIAN ' I ; PURSUITS. ' ' - ', , (Roe, July 19, 4.15 p.m.) ' Teheran, July 18. , The elders in the chief quarters of Tabriz ', agreed to take concertod action against tho Government forces. Priests harangued tho crowds, and then, accompanied by thousands of citizens, proceeded: to Rakliim Khan's headquarters, and threatened A holy war unless ho with-, drew. '- Rakliim, without waiting to parley, withdrew his horsemen to tho suburbs; The mob •' looted the residences of tho-Shah's wealthiest supporters. " , Many of Rakhim's horsemen wero isolated in-tho town and killed, and tho majority, of 'his infantry melted aWay into tho crowd of civilians. , ■■ On June 28 Britain and Russia suggested to the Shah of Persia that he should issue a proclamation announcing that he did not de.sire to. abolish the constitution. The Shall- gavo full asswinces to that Reflect. Subsequently, he received some deputies and expressed regret at tho anarchy which prevailed, and issued .writs for the election of a parliament. He promised to convene the new Parliament within three months, and not to abate the constitutional concessions that lie has already accorded In a subsequent rescript he announced the dissolution of the present Parliament, and added that "upright, pions, and patriotic deputies will be elected three months h'once." v